A charger (100) provides a self aligning, compliant connector with multiples degrees of freedom. The charger (100) comprises a housing having an aperture (132) through which a charger connector (110) is mounted via an interior interface formed of convex protrusions (115) and concave recesses (135) that provide a predetermined range of rotational motion and self-alignment for the charger connector (110) within the aperture (132) thereby facilitating mating with a corresponding connector of a radio. Compliant pads (120) apply a compressible force to further control the rotational motion of the charger connector (110).
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A charger, comprising: a housing having an aperture; a charger connector, extending through the aperture, the charger connector having first and second convex protrusions; an alignment receptacle formed within an interior surface of the housing, the alignment receptacle having sidewalls and first and second concave recesses formed between the sidewalls and the aperture, the first and second convex protrusions of the charger connector aligning within the first and second concave recesses of the alignment receptacle; first and second compliant pads coupled to the charger connector and aligned behind the first and second convex protrusions; and a backer element coupled against the first and second compliant pads to retain charger connector within the alignment receptacle.
2. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second concave recesses aligned within the first and second convex protrusions provide a rotational range of motion for the charger connector within the aperture of the housing, and the first and second compliant pads provide, under compression, a predetermined force to control the rotational range of motion and allow reset of the charger connector.
3. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the charger connector is a unitarily molded piece part.
4. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second convex protrusions aligning within the first and second concave recesses of the alignment receptacle provide self-alignment of the charger connector within the alignment receptacle.
5. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second concave recesses and first and second convex are formed of crescent shapes permitting rotation in multiple planes.
6. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second concave recesses are formed of saucer shaped recesses, and the first and second convex protrusions are formed of corresponding dome shaped protrusions permitting rotation in multiple planes.
7. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the charger connector is a unitarily molded piece part having a connector head and a connector base, the first and second convex protrusions being formed on the connector base alongside the connector head.
8. The charger of claim 1 , further comprising: a power data interface (pdi) substrate coupled to the charger connector.
9. The charger of claim 8 , further comprising: a flex coupled to pdi substrate; and an opening within the sidewalls of the alignment receptacle, the opening providing a pass-through for the flex to couple to electronic circuitry of the charger.
10. The charger of claim 9 , further comprising: a plurality of alignment holes on the pdi substrate; and alignment nubs molded on the charger connector to align with to the plurality of alignment holes on the pdi substrate.
11. The charger of claim 9 , further comprising: a reservoir formed of a cut-out within the charger connector for receiving an adhesive for sealing the pdi substrate to the charger connector.
12. A charger for a radio, comprising: a housing having a charger pocket for receiving the radio; a charger connector mounted within the charger pocket via an interior interface formed of convex protrusions and corresponding concave recesses, the convex protrusions and corresponding concave recesses providing a predetermined range of motion for the charger connector to mate with a corresponding connector of the radio; an alignment receptacle formed within the housing for receiving the charger connector; a compliant pad mounted to the charger connector; and a backer element pressing against the compliant pad thereby retaining the convex protrusions within the corresponding concave recesses.
13. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the convex protrusions are formed on the charger connector, and the corresponding concave recesses are formed on an interior surface of the housing; and the predetermined range of motion of the charger connector is controlled by the convex protrusions rocking within concave recesses.
14. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the convex protrusions are formed on an interior surface of the housing, and the corresponding concave recesses are formed on the charger connector; and the predetermined range of motion of the charger connector is controlled by the convex protrusions rocking within concave recesses.
15. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the charger connector is a unitarily molded piece part upon which are molded the convex protrusions or concave recesses which receive corresponding convex protrusions or corresponding concave recesses molded within an interior surface of the housing to provide self-alignment along with multiple degrees of rotational freedom.
16. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the convex protrusions are formed on the charger connector, and the corresponding concave recesses are formed on an interior surface of the housing within the alignment receptacle.
17. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the compliant pad, under compression, provides a predetermined force to control the predetermined range of motion, and the compliant pad, under decompression, resets the charger connector to its original position.
18. The charger of claim 17 , wherein the compliant pad is adhesively coupled to the charger connector beneath the convex protrusions and corresponding concave recesses.
19. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the charger pocket includes alignment ribs for aligning with corresponding slots of the radio.
20. A charger connector interface, comprising: a housing having an aperture through which a charger connector is mounted via an interior interface; and the interior interface is formed of convex protrusions and corresponding concave recesses that provide self-alignment of the charger connector within the housing along with a predetermined range of rotational motion for the charger connector within the aperture; an alignment receptacle formed within the housing for receiving the charger connector; a compliant pad mounted to the charger connector; and a backer element pressing against the compliant pad thereby retaining the convex protrusions within the corresponding concave recesses.
21. The charger of claim 1 , wherein cushioning provided by the first and second compliant pads controls movement of the charger connector within the alignment receptacle that facilitates insertion of a radio into the charger at different angles and with different forces without damaging the charger connector.
22. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second compliant pads are formed of a gasket type material to provide a compressive force.
23. The charger of claim 12 , wherein cushioning provided by the compliant pad controls movement of the charger connector within the alignment receptacle that facilitates insertion of the radio into the charger at different angles and with different forces without damaging the charger connector.
24. The charger of claim 12 , wherein the compliant pad is formed of a gasket type material to provide a compressive force.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 26, 2011
August 11, 2015
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